


Sleight of Hand

by BlackHatKat



Series: Remnant Visitors [4]
Category: Kingdom Hearts, RWBY
Genre: Canon Compliant, Going back to her roots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 13:02:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16723929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHatKat/pseuds/BlackHatKat
Summary: While on an errand for Cinder in Vale, Emerald gets more than she bargains for after visiting a local jewelry store.





	Sleight of Hand

Clothes? Check.

Shoes? Check.

Make-up? Check.

Emerald sipped her coffee and went down the list on her scroll, ensuring that she'd picked up everything on Cinder's list. She had come down to Vale alone today; Mercury'd flaked out on her the moment she told him she was going legitimately shopping. Whatever, she didn't need him whining about how long she was taking while browsing all the lipsticks and perfumes.

She walked by a high end jewelry store in the shopping plaza, slowing as she saw the display in the window. She glanced at her scroll again and noticed 'Accessories' at the bottom. Emerald felt her fingers twitching. Surely it wouldn't hurt to have a look at what they had.

Luckily, she didn't need to use her Semblance to get in; the security guard was half-watching the current Vytal festival match on the screen, a two-on-two between two teams that didn't really matter, which was why Cinder had sent her on this errand.

"May I help you, Miss?" a well-dressed young girl behind one of the counters asked.

"Just browsing," Emerald replied with a smile.

"Of course," the girl nodded. "Let me know if I can be of assistance."

"Absolutely." Emerald readjusted the bags in her arms so that she had a free hand to run over the glass case in front of her. Inside were several necklaces, rings, and earrings that Emerald could only dream of being able to afford. Just being in this store reminded her of her old life; the one that Cinder had so generously removed her from. It had been a hard life, certainly but the thrill of the lift sometimes...

She looked at Cinder's list. 'Accessories' didn't have anything specific, and that ring in the case was just screaming out to be taken. 

Keep your hands clean while in Vale, Cinder had instructed.

"Would you like to see that one?" the sales girl asked, returning to the other side of the counter offered, noticing Emerald's now-focused attention.

"Yes please," Emerald nodded with a smile.

The young girl took out the ring from the case. "You have excellent taste," she said. "This is an exclusive design. There aren't many that were made."

Emerald tilted her head to the side as the girl put the ring under the magnifying lens. "Is that... a small crack in the gem?" she asked innocently, pointing at the flaw that was most certainly not there.

"Oh my!" The girl grew red with embarrassment. "We never noticed! I should inform my manager immediately!"

"There's no need to make a scene," Emerald assured her smoothly, glancing over at a blond-haired, blue-eyed man in a long black coat with silver drawstrings across the shop. His hair was short, and he sported a neatly-trimmed goatee along with several piercings on his ears. He had clearly noticed the girl's outburst and was now looking at them. After a second he then returned his attention to the case he was looking at and Emerald turned back and patted the girl's hand. "I'm still interested in buying it. How about a little discount, hm?"

"Err... that's not something we really do here, Miss," the girl stammered.

Emerald sighed aloud with a bit of her practiced dramatic flair. "Oh well. Just thought I'd ask. I'll just have to take my business elsewhere." She shifted the bags in her arms so that the sales girl could see the logos from the other haute couture shops she had frequented today.

The girl turned an even darker shade. "Let me see what I can do," she said and disappeared. Emerald waited patiently until the girl returned with an older man who she assumed was the manager. She needed to show them both the flaw and although it gave her such a headache to do so, she knew she needed the practice. Luckily, the ring didn't spend much time being scrutinized before the manager gave his approval to let the ring go at cost. Satisfied, Emerald politely thanked him and paid for the perfectly fine piece of jewelry and hummed to herself as she left the store. 

As she headed to the dock to catch the ship back to Beacon, she suddenly sensed someone watching her. Her thief instincts kicking in, she paused by a highly reflective advertisement, pretending to check her makeup. It was then she saw him. The man from the jewelry store was casually strolling along the sidewalk. His eyes were definitely on her, though, which was highly concerning. Frowning, she slipped into a side alley, looping around to try to get behind him.

When she emerged back onto the main street he was still there, walking at the same pace as before. Her head was still a bit disoriented from using her Semblance on two individuals, so she wasn't sure if she was ready to use it on this man. She'd have to find out about him the old-fashioned way. Taking a breath, she stalked forwards, brushing up against him as she passed.

"Pardon me!" she apologized as she hurried towards the dock where the ship was coming in.

He didn't react as she darted through the gate and onto the waiting ship. There were some open seats by the window so she sat down to both organize her purchases as well as examine the wallet she'd just stolen.

The wallet was black leather with an odd symbol embossed in silver. It looked like some sort combination of a heart and a cross. Opening it, she discovered that it didn't contain any sort of ID or lien, for that matter.

"What the hell?" Emerald examined the strange paper that she assumed was currency but it wasn't anything that she'd seen before. There were also several playing cards with the same heart-cross logo on the back of them along with a folded up piece of paper. It was a note. She opened it and read the tidy scrawl:

'You're a very clever girl but not clever enough, I'm afraid. -L'

"Huh?" Emerald looked through all her shopping bags but couldn't find the one from the jewelry store. "You've got to be kidding me." She checked again, but the little silver bag was gone. Growling, she looked down at the note and then out the window at the dock. 

Sure enough, the blond man was waving at her with a smarmy grin on his face. She scowled. It reminded her of Mercury's constant expressions. And then she saw it. In his black gloved hand was the bag from the jewelry store and the ring she'd scammed.

Now pissed right off, Emerald stood up but the ship's horn sounded that it was leaving. Looking out the window again, the man twirled the bag on one finger by the handles and then held up his other hand which now contained his wallet.

Emerald blinked and looked down at the seat. The wallet and note that she'd left there had vanished. Glancing back, the man was now walking away and around a corner. She swore she saw the edge of a black puddle appear on the ground where he disappeared. The sight sent a chill down her spine.

She sat back down and ran a hand through her hair. No one was going to believe this. How was she going to explain the lien she paid for the ring with nothing to show for it? Damn it all. Taking a steadying breath, she looked around. There were plenty of other passengers on this ship. Hopefully they had enough between them to make up the difference.

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End


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